Ball-joint faucet



Dec. 4, 1928.

M. B. SPINELLE BALL JOINT FAUCE'i Filed Jan. 13, 1928 ATTORNEY- Pia-3:-

Patented Dec. 4, 192.

, OF ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB J5 UNE- GABSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BFOINT FAUCET.

Application filed January 13,1928. Serial No. 246,513.

The present invention relates to valve conetruction in general but more particularly to ball valves,.and has for its main object to provide such a valve that will not leak even after hard and long usage.

It is a well known fact that faucets, for instance in bathrooms, kitchen sinks, or the like, and especially those for hot water, in a short time start to leak from corrosion and wear. This is caused mostly by the sediments and grit depositedin or near the valve seat, so that when the valve is opened or closed the grit scars the seat and tears the packing, the latter being still more weakened by the ex- 5 posui'e to the hot water.

In order to overcome this the present invention contemplates an all metal valve without fiber or leather packings in the seat or on the valve piston. instead or its efiiciency being diminished by long use, this valve tends to obtain, if possible, a firmer and tighter seating from the constant grinding OI the contacting surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to con- 5 struct the valve as simply as possible by using the smallest number or parts which are easily fitted together with a minimum amount or machine work. in other words, it can be produoed at a very small cost, with little labor.

lt is accordingly very economic, which coupled with its great eliiciency and enduring qualities, makes it a desirable article for use and manufacture and of considerable improvement over existing valves of this class. The valve body or casing is provided with a very simple union or closure around the valve stem at the top. instead of using several pieces for this, the present invention has a single piece namely a cap threaded in the body and also provided with internal threads for advancingand retracting the valve piston.

Moreover, the packing box for the valve stem consists of a screw plug or gland re- 46 cessed and threaded in the cap, and an asbestos packing or gasket pressed by the plug tightly around the valve stem.

In the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated: and

Figure 1 shows the faucet in vertical section' Figure 2 a view of some of the details, partly in elevation and partly in sect on;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of one of the details in Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 enlarged views of another detail in vertical section and top plan view, respectively; and

b'igures e and 7, also enlarged views, show vertical and horizontal sections, respectively, or the valve spindle and head.

In the drawing the reference characters designate corresponding members in the several views and numeral 10 represents the valve housing of a faucet or spigot having the usual outlet or spout 11 and a hollow threaded shank 12 for securing it in position. A shoulder 15 is formed on the shank constituting a stop against the basin on which it is used. A valve chamber 14 is formed at the Juncture of the spout and the shank and this chamber terminates with a throat-like upward extension 15 which is threaded internally as at 16 to receive the cap 17 which has a hexagonal or other polygonal collar 18 for tightening the cap in place by the use of a suitable tool. The exterior portion of the throat 1.5 is also flattened in a similar manner for screwing down the faucet in place.

' 1n the upper end of the cap 18 provided a packing box with a packing 19 preferably consisting of asbestos fabric enclosing the valve stem or spindle 20 and pressed against the same by a gland 21 threaded in the cap 17 and terminating with a hexagonal or other fiat edged collar 22 for screwing it down tight. The inner or lower edge 23 is inwardly bevelled to force the packing 19 against the valve stem 20.

The chamber 1% has a bottom 24: with a passage 25 communicating with the hollow portion 26 of the shank 12, permitting the water or other fluid to pass from its source through the chamber 14 and out of the spout 11. This passage 25 is threaded to receive the metallic valve seat 27 which is drawn up tight with its collar 28 in the bottom by means of any fiat tool engaging in the slots 39 which extend outwardly from the narrow central opening 30. This opening is enlarged in diameter at its upper end to provide a circular seating edge 31 for the valve piston.

The valve piston consists of only two parts, namely the shank 20 and the valve head which is a hardened steel ball 32 permanently secured together to form a unit. For this reason the stem, which is made out of metal stock, referabl brass, is at its inner or lower en as at 33 to receive the ball 32 which is preferably treated with'so-called colonial plating that will not rust. 'Ithe re-' cess is slightly deeper as well as 511 htly greater in diameter than the ball 32. fter the shank end has been counterbored and the ball inserted the edge 34 is spun around the ball until it is contractedto less than the ball diameter. In this m'an'n'er'a ball chamber is provided, which permits of a limited axial movement of the ball in the shank end but still retains the ball permanently therein. There bein next to no wear on the edge 34, the ball wi be retained indefinitely in the shank end, because the edge 34 never comes in contact with the ball except during assembling of the parts as the water pressure will always press the ball against the bottom of the recess 33 directly the faucet has been installed and is in use.

The shank 20 has a narrow neck 35 above the recessed end and is provided with a flatthreaded ortion 36 ada ted to engage in a correspon gly thread portion 37 in the cap 17 in order to advance or retract the ball to or fromits seat 31. The upper orouter end 38 of the shank 20 is tapered and preferably of square cross section adapted to fit snugly in a corresponding aperture formed in t e handle 39 which is retained in position on the shank by a screw 40 or in any other suitable manner.

When assembled as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing the valve is seated by screwing down the shank 20 until the ball 32 rests on the seat edge 31. The bottom of the recess 3 3'th enpresses hard against the ball 32 which in turn rests firmly on the seat edge 31, while the crimped or contracted rim or edge 34 stands free of the ball. Asthe ball engages the circular seat edge 31 a perfectly tight joint is formed which will not leak. In time this seat may become slightly flattened or rather bevelled, but as-it then conforms exactly to the contour of the ball, no water can pass, Nor will corrosion effect the valve, because every time the valve is opened or closed a slight grindin of the seat by the ball will take place from t e turning of the valve stem, so that the contacting surfaces will always be shiny and well polished.

When the valve stem is screwed up to open the valve, the ball 32 will still remain pressed againstthe bottom of the recess 33 and remain free fromthe circular rim 34, because the water pressure always acts to lift the ball.

with a housing1 Accordingly, there will be next to no wear on said rim. I

The simplicity of this valve construction is evident when it is considered that the valve head and stem here consist of. only two parts and they forming a permanent unit, while ordinarily three or four pieces are utilized for this purpose. Likewise, the up r closure of the valve bod including the pac ing box here consists of on y three parts, while no less than five is the usual number in-ordinary constructions. Furthermore, all the loose arts are made from round or hexagonal stoc and no machining is necessary on the body except on contacting surfaces, all other surfaces being rough as cast and the whole ultimately nickel plated.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction here, shown and disclosed but that these may be varied widely without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

What I claim as new is: 1. In a valve construction the combination threaded in t e housing, a two-piece valve member comprising a stem and a ball loosely secured therein,'said stem being axially movble in the c'ap toseat the valve ball, a packing'box inthe cap, a packing element and a having a valve seat; of a cap gland adapted to' press the packing element around the-valve's'tem; said valve seat including an annular member threaded in the housing and provided with a cross-shaped aperture formin a fluid passage therethrough.

2. In a va ve constructiontliecombination with a housing having a valve seat, of a'cap secured in' the housing, a two-piece valve member com a stem and a ball, the

stem being t readed in the cap to seat the ball, a recess being provided in the endof the stem and a rim formed around the mouth of the recess to permanently but loosely secure the ball in the recess; a packing box on the cap, a packing element and a gland adapted to press the packing element around the valve stem, said valve seat including an annular member threaded in the housing and provided with a cross-shaped aperture forming a fluid passage therethrough.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Washington, Districtof Columbia,

this ninth day of December, A. D. nineteen hundred and twenty-seven.

MICHAEL 1B; sPINaLLE... 

